diff --git a/tools/default.defs b/tools/default.defs
index 8dac3e58a3..14bc9cef60 100644
--- a/tools/default.defs
+++ b/tools/default.defs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ include_defs('//lib/auto/auto_value.defs')
 include_defs('//tools/gwt-constants.defs')
 include_defs('//tools/java_doc.defs')
 include_defs('//tools/java_sources.defs')
+include_defs('//tools/git.defs')
 import copy
 
 # Set defaults on java rules:
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ def gerrit_plugin(
     type = 'plugin',
     visibility = ['PUBLIC']):
   from multiprocessing import cpu_count
-  mf_cmd = 'v=\$(git describe HEAD);'
+  mf_cmd = 'v=%s;' % git_describe(name)
   if manifest_file:
     mf_src = [manifest_file]
     mf_cmd += 'sed "s:@VERSION@:$v:g" $SRCS >$OUT'
diff --git a/tools/git.defs b/tools/git.defs
index c58ac884db..ca083ad96f 100644
--- a/tools/git.defs
+++ b/tools/git.defs
@@ -12,10 +12,13 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-def git_describe():
+def git_describe(plugin = None):
   import subprocess
   cmd = ['git', 'describe', '--match', 'v[0-9].*', '--dirty']
-  p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout = subprocess.PIPE)
+  if not plugin:
+    p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout = subprocess.PIPE)
+  else:
+    p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout = subprocess.PIPE, cwd = 'plugins/%s' % plugin)
   v = p.communicate()[0].strip()
   r = p.returncode
   if r != 0: